The highly pathogenic and deadly avian influenza virus is now spreading across the United States and has now been discovered in both commercial poultry and backyard flocks in 12 U.S. states, including Kansas, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, Newsweek reports.
A large herd of chickens infected with the deadly and contagious avian flu has been killed in Iowa and Wisconsin to contain the disease.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced Friday that deadly avian influenza has been detected in a commercial flock of chickens in Taylor County, southwest Iowa.
This is the third outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu in the state of Iowa in less than a month. KCCI Des Moines reports that Governor Kim Reynold Taylor has declared a disaster for the county in response to a confirmed case of bird flu.
The Des Moines Register reports:
The Iowa Department of Agriculture said Friday it has confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza during a commercial egg-laying operation in Taylor County, a southwestern county on the Missouri border.
The state says about 920,000 neighborhood chickens will be destroyed to prevent the spread of the disease, which is highly contagious to other birds.
Iowa has been hit by two more outbreaks of the virus since it spread to other U.S. states. Officials first confirmed the outbreak on March 1, when a herd of 42 chickens and ducks in the backyard tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza; And on Sunday, when Buena tested positive for the 50,000 turkey virus at a commercial facility in Vista County.
State and federal agencies have said any poultry products from birds or flocks where avian influenza has been detected will not reach the U.S. food supply. High pathogenic avian influenza has not been detected in any human case in the United States.
In Jefferson County, Wisconsin, a large flock of chickens will be destroyed to prevent the spread of bird flu, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said Monday.
Patch report:
A confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been discovered in the swarm after testing at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, officials said.
According to Reuters, flock hunting will affect 2.75 million chickens, bringing the total number of chickens that have died of bird flu in the United States since February to 6.7 million.
This is the first confirmed case of bird flu in Wisconsin since 2015, state officials say, and similar outbreaks have occurred in Kansas and Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Egg prices will rise in the United States as bird flu spreads across the country.
U.S. egg prices rise as deadly bird flu hits before Easter https://t.co/18izFsgM4a
– The Boston Globe (Boston Globe) March 18, 2022
About 1 million laying hens in Iowa and 2.75 million in Wisconsin will die as deadly bird flu spreads across the United States